Page 7 - Amarillo Senior Link Magazine Winter 2020- Online Magazine
P. 7
LOVE STORIES
“ Our parents survived Amarillo over
the years. Son
Larry has taken
the Depression, the Dust
Bowl, and WWII and over the business
and has carried
are the most loving and on his father’s
giving people you will reputation for
ever meet. My fondest quality and
memory is the little hug integrity in the
Dad would give Mom family business.
when he came home from When they look
work. back, Thelma,
known by many
-Berry Thomas Cox as “Sis”, and
USAF Ret. Berry agree that NE 16th Street, which went from
“it’s been wonderful all our lives.”
decades. They now happily reside
The young newlyweds had ” They enjoyed too many vacations 800 to 4500 sq. ft. in those seven
to count, and bowling – lots of
barely set up house before Berry bowling! Berry is in the state and in one of the attractive cottages at
joined the Army in early 1945. national Bowling Hall of Fame. The Craig Senior Living Center
21 days after he left, their first He served as President of the in Amarillo. Thelma delightfully
son, Berry Thomas was born. Amarillo Bowling Association and overuses the words “really nice”
Junior’s grandparents had moved of the regional Southwest Bowling when describing her home, the
to Sunray just a block away, and Association (TX, OK, KS). For grounds and the staff at The Craig,
Thelma was happy to have them many years, they played cards where they have lived for three
help her with her new baby. After every Friday night with friends. years. After 77 years of living
four months at Camp Hood, Berry “We enjoyed it all,” Thelma with the handyman, she reports,
was sent to off to fight near Luzon declares. “We had the happiest life. “If there’s a problem, they come
in the Philippines, where the You can’t imagine.” right away and fix it.” They have
teenage father engaged in hand-to- three grandchildren and eight
hand combat. After the war ended, And she speaks fondly of the man great-grandchildren. Their sons,
he was assigned to the Army Air she has known for 80 years: “He’s Berry Thomas, a retired USAF
Corps and stationed in Japan for so easy-going and friendly. He lieutenant colonel, and Larry of
two years. was always real Amarillo, take
good to me and good care of their
Not long after, they moved to to everybody. Oh, parents. “If we
Channing to manage a farm that yes, and he was the mention anything,
Berry, Sr. owned. Junior really best daddy, not just it’s here,”
did enjoy farming, but he had to our boys but to Thelma says. The
gotten his GED while in the all the kids in the Coxes really are
service, and the G.I. Bill opened neighborhood.” genuinely happy
the door for him to become a Junior says Sis to have each other,
painting contractor. They moved is “the most even though
to Amarillo where they welcomed wonderful thing Thelma laughingly
their second son, Larry, in 1949. that ever happened recalls, “People
Berry established Berry Cox to me.” said it wouldn’t
Painting and owned the business last.”
for 60 years. Thelma was his The Coxes lived
bookkeeper and calculated that for 70 years in the
he painted over 2,000 homes in same house on
Amarillo Senior Link 7
